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Howe, 32, announced her retirement after last season and then went public with her battle with breast cancer.

Stacey has known Howe since the two women were college foes. Howe stopped pucks for Clarkson University, while Stacey starred at Dartmouth.

The two became teammates in the defunct ºÃÉ«tv Women's Hockey League with the Markham and Brampton Thunder, and trained together in the off-season.

Stacey saw Howe on Saturday for the first time since the latter's diagnosis.

"I've talked to her a ton of times, but to see her in that vulnerable state, it's pretty tough to see, so it's emotional," Stacey said.

"Being that young and fighting something like that is something you never want to see. But she has an amazing support group behind her."

Howe received a standing ovation from the announced 8,251 at Coca-Cola Coliseum when she was shown on the scoreboard waving to the crowd in the first period.

After the game, the retired Mississauga firefighter joined the two teams on the ice, took a microphone and thanked the crowd for their support.

"I know that Toronto and their whole team, and honestly, the whole organization and the fan base is behind her and so are every single one of us who are a little further away," Stacey said. 

"I know she's got this."

Sceptres veteran defender Jocelyne Larocque said it was hard to focus on the game after the building's reaction to Howe in the first period.

"It brought chills. It was all I was thinking about," Larocque said. "It was great seeing her and Erica is someone who is a tremendous teammate and a tremendous person.

"The strength she is showing is inspiring. We care so much about her."

The Victoire (1-2-0-1) wore Howe shirts as they exited their team bus and entered the arena for the game.

"It was a no-brainer for everybody on our team to jump on board, wear it in and support her," Stacey said. "There's bigger things than hockey."

Toronto (1-0-1-3) led 2-0 and 3-2 at period breaks, but dropped its fourth in a row to waste a 35-save performance by Raygan Kirk in her first career PWHL start.

Lina Ljungblom scored in a goal-mouth scramble at 12:51 of the third period for Montreal. 

Abby Boreen had a goal and an assist and Maureen Murphy also scored for the Victoire. Goaltender Elaine Chuli made 19 saves for the win.

Jesse Compher and Sarah Nurse scored 42 seconds apart in the first period and Izzy Daniel also scored for Toronto.

Kirk, 23, got her first PWHL game action Wednesday in the third period of Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the New York Sirens.

Toronto's seventh-round pick, who won a pair of NCAA titles with Ohio State, stopped all nine shots she faced in that game.

Montreal outshot Toronto 39-22, including a 14-5 margin late in the first period.

The Sceptres defeated Montreal in all five meetings last year, winning the first game in a shootout and the final outing in overtime.

This report by ºÃÉ«tvwas first published Dec. 21, 2024.